This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash, and turning them into new products. Recycling has benefits for communities and for the environment, since it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, conserves natural resources, increases economic security by tapping a domestic source of materials, prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials, and saves energy. After collection, recyclables are generally sent to a material recovery facility to be sorted, cleaned, and processed into materials that can be used in manufacturing.
It has been discovered that many automotive vehicles designated for shredding and subsequent recycling processes have a relatively significant number of monetary coins located within them, such as between the seats, underneath floor mats, etc. At least one study estimates that there can be about US$10-$15 of coins per vehicle. Likewise, such vehicles can contain lost jewelry.
Additionally, automotive vehicles include printed circuit boards (“PCBs”), which contain valuable metals (e.g., copper, gold, silver, etc.) that can be recycled.
Considering the large number of vehicles being recycled each year, there is a desire within the recycling industry for a technique for recovering such valuable scrap pieces as a profitable byproduct of the normal vehicle recycling process. Moreover, a federal law was recently passed dictating that the U.S. government will pay face value for certain coins even when they are damaged.